UAE: Up to Dh500,000 fine for taking someone's photo without consent

Abu Dhabi - Violators can also be jailed.

Taking photos of people without their consent — as well as sharing and saving these images — is an invasion of their privacy, an offence punishable in the UAE by a fine of up to Dh500,000 and imprisonment, the country’s prosecutors have warned.

The Federal Public Prosecution on Monday posted a video on their social medial accounts, reminding residents of the country’s cybercrime law. Whoever uses a computer network or any other technology to expose a person and violate his or her privacy shall face a jail term of at least six months and pay a fine of not less than Dh150,000 and not exceeding Dh500,000, or either of the two penalties.

According to Article 21 of the Federal Decree Law No. 5 of 2012 on Combatting Cybercrimes, the ways in which one may invade others’ privacy include: interception, recording, eavesdropping, transferring, transmitting or disclosure of conversations or communications, or audio or visual materials.